Two projects to improve transport links through the A61 Growth Corridor Scheme will now benefit from D2N2 funding.
The Sustainable Transport project has been awarded £1.69 million from D2N2’s Local Growth Fund of the total £2.12 million cost whilst 21st Century Transport’s £3.75 million total cost will benefit from £3 million Local Growth Fund injection.
D2N2 Chair Elizabeth Fagan said of the news: “Creating strong and faster transport links across the north of our region are key to helping the economy of our region grow, particularly with work on the nearby North-Derbyshire Manufacturing Zone continuing at pace.”
“D2N2 has a strong commitment to clean growth and maintaining our natural assets, therefore I’m delighted that the projects we’ve funded as part of the A61 Growth Corridor will make it easier for local people to cycle to work as well and help make the air they breathe cleaner.”
With a number of significant residential and employment developments proposed within the corridor including Peak Resort and the Avenue, both projects form part of the larger Transport Mitigation Strategy for the area and aim to improve the resilience of the local transport network.
A more resilient transport network will lead to additional investment in the area including more employment opportunities and a greater number of homes, allowing the area to become more productive, more prosperous, and more inclusive.
This package of measures will provide infrastructure improvements and reduce commuter journey times, provide sustainable transport routes, and also ‘unlock’ further opportunities for major housing and employment growth along the A61 corridor through Chesterfield and into north-east Derbyshire.
Furthermore, as part of D2N2s commitment to clean growth, the improvements to the transport network will prioritise active travel, cycling, and pedestrianisation through new and upgraded paths and cycle routes.
Once works are complete in 2021, residents and local businesses will also benefit from a technology package which will include bus real-time information for bus passengers, car parking guidance and information, and CCTV.
The ‘A61 corridor’ into and through Chesterfield was among the first of D2N2’s named Growth Deal projects.
In addition to The Sustainable Transport and 21st Century Transport projects, the A61 Corridor scheme also includes 3 additional elements: The Chesterfield Station Masterplan, The Avenue Southern Access, and Clowne North projects.
Each element of the plan will be accessed by the D2N2 Investment Board ahead of any final decision on funding allocation.
D2N2 is the private sector-led partnership which promotes economic growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. It has been allocated more than £250m in LGF funding from the Government, to part-fund infrastructure projects which directly help its area’s economy and create jobs.
Local Enterprise Partnerships are playing a vital role in driving forward economic growth across the country, helping to build a country that works for everyone. By 2021 Government will have invested over £12billion through the Local Growth Fund, allowing Local Enterprise Partnerships to use their local knowledge to stimulate economic growth across the country.
Local Growth Minister Jake Berry said of the project securing funding: “This Government is committed to boosting economic growth across the Midlands Engine and throughout the UK as we leave the EU on October 31.
“Supporting the development of a more resilient transport network is just one of the ways that the Government helps local communities to thrive. The Local Growth Fund’s £4.69 million investment will drive economic development within the area – tackling traffic congestion, improving air quality and enabling greener transport choices”.
